Costas Filippoglou's 'Frogs' a riotous take on a time-honored comedy

Only in Greece would you drive more than 2 hours through perilous Peloponnesian mountains to a perfectly preserved ancient amphitheater with pre-technology impeccable acoustics, joining nearly 15,000 fully engaged audience members of all ages. There we were last month held under the spell of both the theater, itself, filled nearly to capacity, suitable for a half-stadium soccer match, and its current ultra-contemporary Aristophanes's comedy "The Frogs," originally from 405 BC, and in this iteration, "FROGS," indelibly topical.

For 2 plus hours without break, we sat, Spartan-like, unwavering, with frequent outbursts of laughter, approving applause and, by the end, collective clapping of true believers, on backless rock-hard stadium seating. All this under complete darkness, save the odd bat, cat and magical theatrical lighting as we witnessed this bawdy multi-layered and multi...